The Way We Were
by Z-Pod
Summary: Red, Green and Leaf haven't seen each other in five years. When Leaf returns to Kanto unexpectedly, Green embarks on a quest to rekindle the trio's long lost friendship, while Leaf has her sights fixed firmly on Red. Can forgiveness reign supreme when so much hurt has been caused in the past? Or will the Pallet trainers remain forever estranged? - Gameverse, RedxLeaf
1. Chapter 1: The Challenger

Welcome to chapter one of my first story! Hopefully you enjoy reading this as much as I did writing it, and if you do, then don't be afraid to send a review my way! If you don't... well, send me a review anyway because my aim is only to get better. Feel free to be harsh, if you think it's warranted. Anyway... without further ado:  
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Green sat cross legged at the back of his gym, eyes closed, listening to the sounds of battle going on in the outer chambers; just another challenger steadily making their way through the mediocre gym trainers who guarded the way to the leader. Green sighed inwardly, it had been so long since he had been challenged, and longer still since he had been given a battle which even moderately tested his prodigious skills. Silently he cast his mind back through all the battles that he had undertaken in the five years since he had taken up Viridian's gym as his own. Five years: many battles, so few defeats that he could count them all on one hand. Each was writ vividly in his mind, stark reminders that he was not invincible. Unlike someone he knew.

Five years since he had become champion. Five years since he had been defeated not 10 minutes after becoming so. Five years since he had settled down in Viridian, swearing not to give up training until his old rival lay defeated by his hands. Five years.

Five years since Red had disappeared up Mt Silver, never to be seen again…

Green opened his emerald eyes, his train of thought broken as his gym clerk opened the door to the room he was ensconsed in.

"Sir?" the man began. Green eyed him critically, indicating that he should continue. "A challenger has arrived. She has defeated all the trainers in the outer chamber and won the right to face you personally. Shall I admit her?"

Green motioned lazily with a hand, showing that this was acceptable. The man turned on his heel and left the room, no doubt to collect the challenger. Green closed his eyes again. He always met challengers like this, cross legged on the floor, eyes closed, muscles relaxed; the epitome of calm and control. Before he had become champion, his style had been brash, loud and altogether flamboyant. Initially he had brought the same attitude with him to his gym leading career, but found quickly that opponents were thrown far more by quiet confidence than loud arrogance, and so had adopted this more leisurely style in order to give himself the mental advantage. That was the reason he gave himself anyway. Truthfully, he knew he was subconsciously trying to emulate Red, the quiet boy who had defeated him with nary a sound every time they had faced each other.

And so he waited. The first indication of the challenger was the quiet creaking of the door as it swung inwards.

Green did not move.

Footsteps rang against the floor boards as whoever it was took their place opposite him.

Still Green did not move.

He heard the clerk approach the referee's box, and the echoing sound of his voice as he announced the battle.

"This is a six on six Pokemon battle between Green, the leader of the Viridian Gym, and the challenger, Leaf of Pallet Town, winner of two Hoenn leagues and collector of fifteen Kanto and Johto gym badges!"

_That _made Green move. And Fast.

His eyes were first, shooting open in shock and disbelief, pupils' dilating as they took in the figure before them.

Leaf. Leaf was here. The girl he and Red had spent their entire childhoods with. The girl who had disappeared at nearly the same time Red had, and who had been given up for dead. The only girl Green knew for a fact he loved, and had spent his formative years fighting over with Red, was here.

He drank in the sight of her, terrified that if he blinked she would up and disappear again, leaving him with the same hole that had occupied a region of his chest very close to his heart for nigh on five years now. And then she spoke.

"Hey there Green. You know, I remember you always being a funny kid, but making me face a whole bunch of useless… well, I suppose you'd have to call them 'trainers', just to get a gym badge? That's rich even for you." She said airily, the twinkle in her eyes that he knew oh so well lighting up her light green orbs.

"Buh?"

Smooth.

Leaf frowned. "You were never the smartest either but from what I remember you could at least string together a "hi". You take a blow to the head lately?" she quipped, far to casually for someone greeting a friend they hadn't seen in what seemed like forever, to Green at least.

Green flushed scarlet at the girl's amused tone. This reunion was not going at all to his liking; he should be making her laugh, hugging her, telling her how much he missed her, kissing her… But no, instead he was gaping at her like a stunned Magikarp, too shocked to speak and too frozen to move.

_Oh no. _

Leaf seemed to be bored with his continued silence. "Well if that's all I'm likely to get out of you after five years, so be it. How about a battle anyway? I didn't knock a bunch of cocky trainers on their arses for nothing you know; you owe me a battle Green Oak!" And with that she flourished a Pokeball and sent it flying to the middle of the battlefield, releasing a Venusaur in the process. Green shook his head, trying his best to collect his thoughts and still his racing heart. He glanced meaningfully towards the gym's clerk, who appeared in equal amounts confused at the strange conversation that had just taken place, and shocked at his leader's apparent discomposure. Nevertheless, he took Green's hint and raised his arms hesitantly.

"Begin!" He cried.

Green threw his own Pokeball onto the battlefield. It released the immense form of Rhydon, one of his most powerful Pokemon and the only one he possessed who was of the ground type, the official type of his gym. Leaf smiled at him. "Let's do this." She muttered.

Well that concludes chapter one. Criticism/praise equally welcome! Chapter two should be up tomorrow, barring any disasters, so watch this space!


	2. Chapter 2: Unexpected Revelations

_Okay, Chapter two! This chapter is much longer than the first, but I couldn't find a place to split it that I liked... Oh well._

_Ten minutes. _That was all it took for Blue's entire team to lie scattered around him in various states of defeat. Pidgeot was smoking, Eggectuor the same. Rhydon was twitching fitfully along with the rest. Even Blastoise, the pride of his team and his oldest companion, had been utterly dominated. Green himself knelt in numb disbelief, surveying the damage to his team and the one who had perpetrated it, Leaf. She looked at him with an almost amused smile, head cocked to one side while she waited for him to do something.

Slowly he got to his feet and turned to the clerk, who was staring, mouth agape, at the utter defeat of his boss and idol. Such was his level of shock, he had still not called the end of the match. "Oi!" Yelled Green brusquely. "Do your job would you?"

The poor man jumped as though struck, and managed to stammer out the required words. "B-Blastoise is unable to battle. The round and the match goes to Leaf, the challenger from Pallet Town." And with that he slumped to the floor, suitably stunned.

Green gathered whatever composure still remained to him, and walked towards his old friend with what he hoped was a congratulatory and unconcerned smile on his face. Judging by her amused look however, she wasn't buying his act any more than he was feeling it, and so she waited for him to come to her, head still cocked.

When he reached her she held out her hand, which Green took with a smile, genuine this time. Leaf looked at their interlocked fingers confusedly for a second, and then said, "No, I meant can I have my badge now? I won you know."

Green dropped her hand faster than if he had been burnt, and even took a half step backwards. To his horror, he felt tears springing to his eyes at the slight, and he began to choke on an attempted explanation of his actions.

Leaf, realising that she had hurt his feelings, smiled at him. "Archeus, Green. You've certainly softened up since I left haven't you? I can't imagine you crying over… well, over anything when we were kids!"

_She had seen!_ Green's insides shrivelled up and died right there, and the amount of blood rushing to his face would have made him useful as a search and rescue beacon. Unable to think of anything remotely clever to say, he did the only thing he could do, and delved within the depths of his slack's large pockets, rummaging around until he finally came up with what he was looking for.

The earth badge was a small, unimpressive piece of metal considering what it represented. Anyone who possessed it could boast of having beaten the former champion of Kanto, and even if he had only held that position for mere minutes, it was still an achievement not to be sneezed at. This particular specimen had spent as long as he could remember stashed deep within his pocket, unneeded and forgotten, waiting for the day when it was brought forth and presented to a successful challenger. It glimmered faintly as he drew it into the light, seemingly pleased with its change of scenery. Hesitantly, as though he had almost forgotten how the next bit was meant to go, he held out the badge to Leaf and said in a halting voice, dredging up the ceremonial words from some cobwebby compartment of his mind, "By the power vested in me by the Pokemon League Council, I hereby confer upon you, Leaf of Pallet Town, the Earth badge."

Leaf grinned as she snapped open a bright silver tin and placed the Earth badge inside it, next to its fellow badges. "At last." She whispered. She turned to Green. "Thank you Green, for the battle and for the badge. I suppose you know why I was so anxious to get it?"

Green had no idea whatsoever, and indicated so. Leaf laughed that laugh he knew so well from childhood. It was light, cheerful but also slightly mocking, as though she was privy to something that he would always be too stupid to fathom. "Silly boy." She teased. "What does having all 16 badges from Kanto and Johto enable you to do?" She waggled a finger at him.

Understanding dawned in Green's mind, and along with it came a surge of jealousy so strong he almost spat. "Red." Was all he said.

Leaf nodded cheerfully, tactfully ignoring his tone. She eyed him oddly. "You know Green, you've changed a lot from the boy I hated five years ago." She said slowly.

_Wait? WHAT?_

Green didn't know how many times his heart could be snapped in two today before he keeled over from emotional exhaustion. She had _hated_ him? Why? Hadn't he always been the funny one, the confident one, the handsome one? What was Red compared to him? He cast his mind desperately back to the days he had spent in Leaf and Red's company, trying to pinpoint an exact moment when Leaf had indicated her distaste for him.

*FLASHBACK*

_Red was crying. Green smirked at the little boy in front of him. "Come on Red, just 'cause you know I'm gonna be the greatest and you're not even going to be able to go on a journey doesn't mean you have to be a sook about it."_

_"What d'ya mean he won't be able to go on a journey?" Piped up a melodic voice from somewhere behind him. Green swung around and saw Leaf walking towards them, an ice-cream in hand and an inquisitive look on her face. Green smirked._

_"How can he go on a journey if he doesn't speak? He won't be able to control the pokemon."_

_Leaf looked between the boys unconcernedly, before she spoke. "Professor Oak says that you just have to have a good bond with your pokemon. He didn't say you had to say anything." Red perked up at her words, hopeful disbelief lighting up his face. _

_Green snorted. "Pff, when was the last time you saw a match that the trainer didn't speak in?" He turned to Red, "Listen to me Red; you had better either learn how to speak or be content with sitting back and watching me become the greatest trainer there ever was! Champion!" He whooped, punching the air before turning on his heel and marching off._

_Leaf knelt beside her downcast friend and put her arm around him. "Don't listen to him Red. Just because you can't speak doesn't mean you won't have a pokemon and go on a journey. You can have a friend without speaking, just look at us, we're best friends and you've never spoken a word to me." She said comfortingly. Red looked up her, gratitude in his crimson eyes, which spoke volumes more than words ever could._

*END FLASHBACK*

Okay… So that was a far worse memory than Green could ever recall before. Was that really how it went? Had he really been so cruel? He had never bothered to think back too much on his childhood memories, but he had always assumed that he and Leaf had been good friends. Certainly they had been when they were very little, just as he and Red had been…

*FLAHSBACK*

_Green strode confidently along the pavement towards his grandpa's laboratory, his trademark smirk on his face and an extra spring in his step. As he walked, he spied the familiar figure of Leaf, standing casually against a light post, watching the passer-by's with a bored expression on her pretty face. His heart gave the familiar palpitation it always gave when he was near her; one that he had long ago realised was an indication of his feelings towards her. He wondered briefly if she felt the same, but dismissed the thought quickly; of course she did. How could she not? He walked towards the girl purposefully, already forming the speech he would give her._

_"Leaf! Hey Leaf!" He called enthusiastically. His voice came out high and rude, but eleven year old Green didn't notice. Leaf turned towards the call, and her expression turned from casual boredom to one of faint displeasure, but eleven year old Green didn't notice this either. He grinned stupidly, arrogantly even, at the girl, who stared back at him sullenly. "Guess what!" He declared childishly._

_Leaf rolled her eyes, but Green was too caught up in the excitement of his news to notice. "What's that?" She asked, trying valiantly to inject her voice with a hint of enthusiasm. _

_"I'm gonna be a Pokemon trainer!" he almost shouted._

_Leaf flinched sightly at the change in tone. "Well duh. You've been telling me an' Red the same thing since we were four."_

_"Yeah but this is for real. Gramps told me to come to his lab today, he wants to give me a Pokemon and a mission!" He stared at her eargerly, hoping for a smile, a spark in her eyes… just a "congratulations" would have sent him over the moon._

_He was disappointed. Leaf just looked at him blankly, disbelievingly even. "Why You?" she said bluntly._

_Green frowned, but hid his feelings quickly, he didn't want Leaf to think he was a sissy like that tool Red. "Who else would he choose but the toughest kid in Pallet? Red? Hahaha!"_

_If he was hoping that his arrogant comment and put down of Red would elicit a laugh from the tricky girl, he was sorely mistaken. Leaf's eyes hardened at his words, and she turned away from him. "Well that's pretty cool Green I guess. You better get off to Professor Oak's now though, you don't wanna be late for your date with becoming a master."_

_Green didn't hear anything after "pretty cool". That was a compliment! He could've jumped for joy if he hadn't known how uncool that would make him seem. Instead he hugged Leaf, who stiffened like a board under his embrace, not that Green noticed, and set off in the direction he had been going before the distraction, his step even jauntier than it had been a moment ago. _

_As he walked down the pavement, he failed to notice Leaf turn to the black haired boy who stood under an awning not twenty feet away, watching the entire exchange. She hugged the boy and kissed him on the cheek chastely, before walking off arm in arm with him. If Green had seen this… well, perhaps there would have been one less Pallet trainer heading out on an adventure that day. _

_*END FLASHBACK*_

This just kept getting worse and worse. How could he not have seen her revulsion of him then? How had he not realised it since? Was he still the same arrogant prick he had been back then, unable to face his flaws and totally oblivious to other's opinions and feelings?

*FLASHBACK*

_Green watched as Squirtle fell with a resolute thud to the ground. He glanced up at the grinning boy opposite him and narrowed his eyes. "What? Unbelievable! I chose the wrong Pokemon!" He exclaimed. "Oh well, I'll make my Pokemon fight to toughen it up. Red, Gramps, smell ya later!"_

_He brushed roughly past Red, who was still grinning. Leaf stood beside the red eyed boy with a smile on her face that was far more painful to Green than any the stupid, silent kid could manage. She was meant to be on _his _side! Why was she smiling? It didn't make sense! Green shoved the uncomfortable thoughts away and shot a winning smile at Leaf. "Hey Leaf, since we're both gonna be doing our journeys at the same time, how about we travel together?"_

_Leaf looked at him with an expression almost approaching pity. She just shook her head, and turned to Red to congratulate him on his victory, leaving Green to his own devices. Strangely, her brusque refusal hurt Green less than her smile at Red's victory had. She had shaken her head quickly and looked away as soon as she could, surely that meant she was shy and nervous around him? It wasn't that she didn't _want _to travel with him; it was just that she wasn't _confident _enough to. Of course! And with that, he stepped out of the lab and into his adventure._

_*END FLASHBACK*_

By now, Green was cringing. He couldn't even bring himself to look at the girl he had loved unthinkingly for so long. The girl who had hated him even longer. Leaf was speaking, he realised, and he raised his head slightly to listen to her words.

"So anyway," She was saying. "I really wouldn't have even come to see you if that crazy chick Sabrina hadn't mentioned where Red was." She shook her head in exasperation. "Mt Silver! Honestly I don't know how that boy's managed without me to keep him out of trouble! If I get up there and he's frozen to death because he forgot to put on pants or something then I'm going to be _very_ annoyed. He'll never hear the end of it!"

The monologue continued. "So anyway I beat the hell out of the psychic and I was about to go to Pallet and see if the Professor knew where Red was, and then, well I guess she must have read my mind, cause she was like, 'The boy you seek so anxiously resides on top of Mt Silver, if you wish to reach him then you must attain the rest of the badges.' Or something like that anyway. So obviously I asked her why I needed all the badges when I was a two time champion and had fifteen already. Because the Pokemon league only lets you climb Mount Silver if you can beat all sixteen Kanto and Johto gyms, she told me. So I gritted my teeth and realised I had to come and see you of all people, and here I am! I went back to Pallet and saw everyone; they all seemed to think pretty highly of you, so I was trying to explain how much of a dickhead you were, but they all seemed to think that you'd changed or something… I didn't believe them at first but now I see you definitely have. I guess we'll have to wait and see if your personality is different to, or whether it's just your demeanour. Anyway, what's new with you?"

Green had been staring at her throughout this spiel, wondering why she was speaking so feely to someone she apparently hated. He hadn't heard much of her speech, but one sentence stuck out more than the rest.

"You really think he could have frozen because he forgot to put on pants?" He asked incredulously. Leaf sighed.

"You didn't travel with him. Believe me Red was, or should I say, is the sweetest guy on earth; he's brave, stoic, kind, heroic, smart and utterly gentle… pretty much your antithesis. That said, he was also single minded and a bit of a twit at times. I wouldn't put it past him to spend all his time standing up there training, without even sacrificing a part of his mind to think about the essentials."

Another knife pierced Green's heart, but by this stage it had been stabbed so often that he barely felt this new intrusion. "So." He said, "Are you going to head up there now?"

"Yep I think so. There's nothing for me to do down here anymore and Red's basically the only thing I've really missed these past five years, so I think it's about time for a… reunion." She said with a devilish smirk that made Green think she had a bit more planned than a cup of tea and biscuits with her old friend. Another surge of jealousy overwhelmed him and he saw red. His mind clouded and all that was left to him were the new, uncomfortable memories of their childhood and the fury he felt towards the silent boy who had stolen the only person he truly cared about from him. He turned tail and fled the room, out into the chamber beyond and finally all the way out into the sunlight of Viridian. He stood, chest heaving at the doorway of his gym, before turning towards the heavy oak doors and punching them with all his strength.

Two things happened at this point. One; the door cracked cleanly down the middle as Green's emotionally charged fist connected with it and two; the bones in his fingers and hand shattered like popsicle sticks. With nothing more than a quiet "oh" of surprise, he collapsed in agony, his hand giving him such pain that he found it impossible to even scream.


	3. Chapter 3: Perhaps, In Time

Okay, chapter 3! Thanks to everyone who has taken the time to review so far, much appreciated! Just in warning; this chapter has a LOT of talking. Not much happens to be honest, but there is quite a bit of character development. Again it's longer than the last, i just can't seem to break the habit! Anyway… enjoy!

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The next thing Green remembered was waking up. He realised quickly that he was in a hospital bed, his hand plastered and a certain familiar someone standing at the foot of his bed, arms crossed and a wide grin on her face.

"Leaf?" he murmured, words slurred from the painkillers he had been pumped full of. "Whad'ya doin 'ere?"

She grinned. "You know, I'm starting to be really glad I came to see you Green; this visit has been positively hilarious."

"Wh-Why does my hand hurt so bad?" He asked.

"Well, shattering pretty much every bone in it by hitting a solid oak door in a blind rage will tend to that. The doctors say it should be okay in the long run but they had to perform some pretty serious surgery on it, and you're not gonna have any use of it for a fair while." Leaf explained nonchalantly, the superior smile never leaving her face.

"So why are you here?" Green asked sullenly.

Leaf's face hardened slightly at the question. "Believe me, it wasn't so I could come and nurse you through your time of need, that's for sure. To be honest," she said, "I just felt like having a bit of a laugh at you. Considering what you put Red through when we were little, I'd say a broken hand is the least you deserve."

"So you delayed your trip up Mt Silver just so you could taunt me about punching a door?" He asked incredulously. "I may have been cruel when we were little leaf but Goddamn! I think you've taken over my position pretty nicely." He was trying to get her to feel guilty, but to his annoyance Leaf just laughed.

"Perhaps." She replied. "But the difference between you and me is I only bully people who deserve it, I don't pick on little kids who can't speak." Green had nothing to say to that, so just remained quiet. Leaf continued. "For what it's worth, I planned on bringing you down pretty brutally with this visit, but I've found I just can't bring myself to do it anymore than you have yourself." She said airily. "I'm just here to say see ya since I'll be heading up Mt Silver pretty much straight away."

In typical Leaf style, with these words she swept out of the room and into the hospital corridor, but a shout of "Wait!" from Green made her pause. After briefly considering continuing on as though she hadn't heard him, she shrugged and turned back into the room, figuring that she may as well hear what he had to say; after all, Red wasn't going anywhere.

Green let out a sigh of relief when she returned, and made the most of his brief window of opportunity. "Leaf." He began. "Please don't leave like this. I know you've hated me for a long time; but please believe me when I say I've changed. After Red beat me for the championship I started looking back on what I'd been, and I realised it was my attitude that had always kept me from beating Red, so I did my best to change myself. I admit I only did it in the beginning because I wanted to beat Red so badly, but after a while I started to like what I was becoming. I wasn't cruel or condescending to my challengers, I faced everyone politely and people began to respect me for who I was. I finally realised why everyone seemed to always love Red, while treating me like I was beneath them; it was because that was how I was treating them. I couldn't expect to be loved and respected if I didn't treat anyone with respect in return, and in the end I reaped what I sowed. It took a hell of a lot for me to realise that but when I did it really changed who I was."

"And yet when I told you how I hated you you acted as though the news was a complete shock." Leaf replied in a bored tone. "If you'd gone through such a period of self-reflection, how come you weren't able to see what a terrible person you'd been to Red and how I utterly despised you for it, hmm?"

Green though for a moment before replying, doing his best to convey his thoughts coherently. "I don't really know." He started slowly. "I suppose it was because I was so hopelessly in love with you I just did my best not to think about how my old assumptions might be wrong. I didn't want to lose that illusion I'd created for myself because it was the only positive thing I had left from my old life. It was so painful remembering what type of person I'd been; but I really did love you and even though it was a fool's fancy, believing that you loved me back was all I could focus on. I didn't consider the alternative because if I did, it would have torn me apart… just like it has." He finished eyes downcast as yet more tears pricked at his eyes.

Leaf appeared stunned for a moment. "Wow…" was all she managed to choke out after a while. "I have to admit Green, that was pretty powerful. But don't think that makes everything fine between us, heaven forbid you get it into your head again that I do have feelings for you after all. Still, I-I suppose I believe you when you say you've changed, and I'm glad."

Green smiled; happy for the first time in what felt like forever. It wasn't love, but forgiveness was as much as he was willing to hope for at the moment, and it seemed as though he had it.

Leaf frowned again, apparently unwilling to let the matter rest just yet. "Do you know why I hated you so much Green?" she asked. Green nodded, he was pretty sure they'd just gone over this... Leaf continued. "It wasn't just because of how arrogant you were, you know. If you'd always been like that, then I don't think I would've hated you… strongly disliked, maybe, but not hated. The reason I _hated _you so fiercely was because of how you _used _to be. Remember when we were really little? You, Red and I: the three musketeers. Everyone always said how they'd never seen kids with such strong bonds between one another. We were the perfect trio. But then you had to go and _change_, and all of a sudden that trio was a duo and I felt like I was missing a great big chunk of who I was.

"You see Green, I did love you once. Not necessarily in a romantic way, but I loved you just as much as I loved Red, and I thought you loved us in the same way. It nearly broke me when you changed, and I think it hurt Red even more. You wouldn't know because you never had anything to do with him after you ditched him, but for ages after you changed he was just so… so _sad._ Devastated even. You broke his spirit then, and the only thing that got it back for him was beating you at the game that you seemed to have decided it was necessary for the two of you to compete in. That's a terrible way to have to regain your sense of self-worth you know, having to destroy the one who destroyed you. I hated you for doing that to him, and I hated you for breaking what we had. Most of all, I hated you for not being what I was so convinced you were." Her voice broke, and her speech stopped.

If Green had ever heard more poignant words than the ones Leaf had just spoken, he couldn't remember them. The tears were flowing freely now, but he made no move to stop them; he knew he would be unsuccessful anyway. Through the moisture that covered his vision, he looked at the girl he had though he had known so well. He felt sick inside: he hadn't known her at all. She was so much more than he had ever imagined, and so much more deserving of the worship he had laid at her feet. Her revelations hadn't negatively affected his feelings; on the contrary they had only made them stronger, because at last he understood the type of person she was.

There was no more room for words, that much was clear. Anything he said now would be superficial; an unnecessary extension now that they had both bared their souls so starkly to one another. Green was aware of how much he desired her, but his feelings were, for the first time, tempered by the fact that he was considering her wants over his own. He knew explicitly that Red was the one she loved, had always loved, and barring some miracle, would always love. Strangely, the realisation left him feeling not angered, but instead rather hollow. The feeling was not unlike the one which had made its presence felt to him during the long years of Leaf's departure, but now if felt somehow heavier, more final, and altogether much harder to bear.

Leaf finally spoke after several minutes of heavy, suffocating silence. Her words were brusque, and contained none of the eloquence and wittiness that she usually conveyed. "Seeing as that's out of the way, I'll think I'll be going to Mt Silver now. Take care Green, and try not to turn into the dickhead you used to be. For me?"

For the second time, she made to walk out of the ward, but for the second time, Green stopped her with a hurried, "Wait!"

Leaf sighed and turned back to the boy. "What now Green? I know red isn't going anywhere in a hurry but I would still like to get up there before this decade is out if at all possible."

"Let me come with you."

_That _certainly floored Leaf. Just when she thought she had regained her composure, this infuriating individual had to go and throw a curve ball like that. "W-what?" She stammered. "After everything we just said? You can't be serious!"

Green made to explain himself. "Please, it's not because I want to try on a move with you or anything. I just think it's about time I saw Red again. I vowed I'd never lay eyes on him again until I could beat him, but after battling you I know that's never gonna happen. Besides, I never realised just how awful I was towards him until today, and I think it's my duty to try and make some sort of amends, don't you?"

"Well duh. Of course you should do something about it, but why should you travel with me? Why not wait until I leave and then go up by yourself? Red's waited five years for an apology; I don't think another few months will make any difference. Besides, I'm not going to see Red just for a social call you know. Five years' worth of unspoken feelings are about to be unleashed upon that poor, unsuspecting boy, and I know you'd hate to feel like a third wheel."

Green tried a different tack. "You said the reason you hated me was because I broke what we were back in the old days." He began. Leaf nodded, indicating that he should continue but altogether unsure about where his train of thought was headed. "I never realised it until today, but I've hated myself for a long time for the same thing. 'The perfect trio.' You said we were. Well why is it necessarily too late to be that again? I know there's a decade's worth of bad blood built up between us but I'd like nothing more than to break that down and recover what we had. If I was the one to break what we had, then I should be the one to try and restore it, shouldn't I?"

Leaf considered his words, completely unsure how to react. It was true that she had missed furiously the way things had been between the three Pallet trainers originally, but it had been so long since any kind of bond had existed concerning the three that she was quite unsure whether or not she wanted it back now anyway. She remembered just how happy she had been travelling the region with Red, back when they had first started out. How she'd slowly began to forget the role Green had played in their group all that time ago, and started instead to see him as nothing more than a rival, present for the sole purpose of being beaten. Did she want him back as something more? A friend as he had once been; reliable through thick and thin and steadfast against all foes… not that there had been many when they were young.

It didn't take long for Leaf to make her decision. Of course she wanted him back in that way. She wanted nothing more than to be able to trust him as she had trusted Red for so long, and to have a relationship akin to what she had always thought they were meant to have. She only wished that he had proven himself capable of all this and more back in the day, but he had failed utterly in that simple mission. Which was why:

"Sorry Green. I want to trust you again, believe me I do, but I can't forgive what you did so quickly, as much as I want to." She told him with a sad smile, hoping that it would convey the regret she was feeling to the boy. "Maybe in a year or so, if you try really hard, then perhaps I might be convinced to give you a chance. But even if I do, I can't promise anything for Red, and to be honest if you manage to make him forgive you after everything… well, you've got my admiration."

Finally, for the third time that day, Leaf turned on her heel and strode from the room; this time without a call from Green stopping her in her tracks. Unmolested, she made her way past reception and out into the car park, where she released her Aerodactyl. Random strangers stopped and stared at the ancient rock type which, since it had been resurrected from a piece of old amber, was the only example of such that most anyone had ever seen. Leaf payed little attention to the amazed gasps and poorly concealed whispers; instead, she leapt onto Aerodacty's back and rocketed skywards, heading towards the Pokémon centre which marked the entrance to the caves and grottos of Mt Silver.

Green sat in his hospital bed for approximately twelve seconds after Leaf took her leave. It took around 4 seconds for him to decide on his next course of action, and a further eight for him to work out how to do it. Gingerly, he slipped out of bed, pulling the IV drip from his arm and ignoring the frenetic beeping of the machine at his bedside as it alerted the entire hospital to his apparent death. He knew he had only moments before the room was swarming with doctors and nurses, so he moved quickly. First, he pulled off the standard issue hospital gown he wore and threw on the clothes which lay folded on his bedside chair. His standard attire had been washed and ironed, and the staff had even made sure that his signature necklace was among his possessions; just another perk of being the most powerful gym leader in Kanto, the job came with a certain level of respect.

He moved rapidly after that, ducking out the door and into a neighbouring ward just as a swarm of personnel came bustling along the corridor. He heard pandemonium erupt as his empty bed was discovered, but before the first person could leave to search for him elsewhere, he had moved down the hall they had come from and left via the same entrance as Leaf had just minutes before.

To his relief his pokeballs were all present on his waist, and he quickly called out his Pidgeot. He vaulted lithely onto the faithful bird's back, being careful not to knock his arm, and murmured for it to head towards the Indigo Plateau and Mt Silver. His escape was completed in mere moments, and with that he was headed up the mountain, to try and make amends for a wrong he wasn't even aware of performing until that very day. Oh yes, Leaf might have tried to keep him away, and she certainly hadn't found it within herself to forgive him just yet, but Green had put into motion the gears of reconciliation, and he was damned if he was going to let the opportunity stagnate.

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_Okay, chapter three is done and dusted. I'm pretty happy with this chapter even though not much happens. I thought I'd answer the questions of a certain reviewer since I want to encourage reviews as much as possible._

_**A Random Reviewer:**__ To your first question, they're actually 17 as I consider the original story to have taken about a year, and this story is set five years after the end of the games. I'm not sure why I made them 11 and not 10 for when they started out, but what's done is done…_

_As for your second question; I'd say Leaf fell for Red because… well, he's the hero! :P They've been friends since childhood and Leaf is all Red has really, so it's natural that there would be a deep bond between them. As for since when: I would say since sometime before the second flashback, but they're only kids then so it's not really a relationship in the typical sense, it's just a childhood crush. I would go with the theory that their relationship develops somewhat over the course of their journey, but it's not until Leaf leaves and they start to mature emotionally that they really work it out. _

_I hope that helps and anyone else with a question or two just let me know in a review and I'll do my best to answer it. _


	4. Chapter 4: Well That Went Well

_Chapter four here. I tried to inject a bit of humour into this chapter but I probably failed miserably. Anyway, once again, PLEASE REVIEW! Enjoy._

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Leaf sat in the nearly deserted Pokemon Centre, resting up before tackling the formidable trek up Mt Silver. With her formidable team of Pokemon, she could have shot up the side of the mountain on the back of her Aerodactyl without any issue, but the Pokemon league rules stated that any trainer who won the right to scale Mt Silver and face Red must perform the task manually. That is, flying Pokemon were banned from carrying their trainers, and Pokemon like Onix, Venusaur and others were heavily restricted from aiding in the accent. Pokemon could basically only be used to fend off the vicious wild Pokemon which inhabited the Mountain's wild reaches, and of course to battle the trainer who dwelled at the summit.

Therefore, Leaf had deemed it sensible to wait a while at the mountain's foot; to ensure her Pokemon as well as herself were in peak condition for the trek which awaited them. For the moment, she was vaguely watching the news program which was playing on the lobby TV. An overblown report on Sinnoh/Kanto relations was just ending, and Leaf's waning attention was suddenly refocused as the presenter announced the next article. "In other news, Gym Leader Green Oak has disappeared from the Viridian City hospital following injuries he sustained in suspicious circumstances yesterday. Mr Oak was entertaining a challenger to his Gym when he acquired the extensive injuries to his right hand, and police are currently searching for the trainer involved. The trainer has been identified by hospital staff as one Leaf of Pallet Town, a trainer who conducted her journey around the same time as Mr Oak, and who was a close personal friend during childhood. A rift of unknown origin developed between the two and Leaf was last seen in Kanto five years ago, before travelling between the other regions where she obtained the rank of 'Master'. Officer Jenny had this to say."

"Leaf is currently our prime suspect in the disappearance of Green Oak, as she was seen leaving his bedside just moments before he was discovered missing, and secondly because of the prior rift that exists between the two. We ask citizens to be on the lookout for a tall girl of around eighteen, with long brown hair, a blue tank top, white patterned hat and red skirt with blue leg warmers. Members of the public should be aware that this trainer possesses immense skill and is the two time champion of the Hoenn League; DO NOT approach this trainer. If she is sighted, we urge citizens to contact their nearest police station with the information. Thank you and take care."

The picture switched back to the news reader, who addressed the audience with a sombre expression. "Our thoughts and prayers go out to Green Oak, a wonderful boy who has proven his worth during his years as Gym Leader. Rest assured the police will do everything in their power to recover him if he has indeed been kidnapped by this vile individual." Her sombre expression was replaced with a winning smile. "After the break we'll tell you the most effective way to make your Mareep's wool really sizzle, and stay tuned to discover why this Mudkip is not lieked by the people of Nimbassa City!"

Leaf continued to stare open mouthed at the program as it switched to other, more vapid topics. She was wanted by the police? Of all the things she had expected to hear about her brief visit to Viridian, being accused of kidnapping was hardly one of them. At worst she had thought to be implicated in a tabloid love affair with Green, but this current development really took the cake. _Kidnapping_! If she wasn't aware of just how serious an issue this left her in, she would have laughed. Of all the people she might be tempted to kidnap, they boy she had spent the last five years actively avoiding was certainly not one of them.

Leaf glanced towards the counter where the only other occupant of the centre, the resident Nurse Joy, was dialling frantically on the video phone. "Yes, hello?" she whispered urgently. "I believe I've sighted the wanted trainer Leaf! This is Nurse Joy from the M-Ahhh!" Her phone call was rudely interrupted by a well-aimed flamethrower from Leaf's hastily summoned Typhlosion, which roasted the handset without damaging the Nurse, too badly at least. Leaf got up very deliberately and made her way to counter, which she then leaned nonchalantly against, eyeing the terrified Nurse Joy with a baleful emerald gaze. Leaf shushed the Joy, who was making a mixture of petrified squeaks and incomprehensible stammers, and attempted to explain herself.

After several minutes of patient wheedling, Leaf had managed to get her side of the story across to the nurse, who had for her part agreed not to raise the alarm any further. Whether this was because of Leaf's excellent convincing skills or simply because she wanted to avoid a second flamethrower, perhaps aimed at her face this time was less clear; but at least Leaf had her cooperation.

Leaf sighed and rubbed her brow. This whole situation had thrown up an unexpected roadblock in her path, now she had to decide whether to continue up the mountain and risk being arrested, or attempt to find Green and thus clear her name. Neither option appeared particularly attractive, but Leaf was spared the agony of choice when the automatic door of the centre slid open to admit another patron. Leaf whirled towards the source of the intrusion, and was shocked when none other than Green Oak himself walked through the door. A surge of anger swept through her, and she marched briskly towards the unsuspecting boy, who realised to late the intention she held.

*SLAP*

The noise rang through the empty centre, and Green was sent reeling from the force of the blow. He staggered and grasped his burning cheek, hurt but not altogether shocked by the girl's reaction. He was, for his part, rather surprised to see her in the centre in the first place. He had given her what he believed was enough time to vacate the premises and make her way up the mountain before he rested his own Pokemon, but apparently she had lingered longer than he had expected.

"Green you asshole!" She screamed. "That sure is some way to make up for your years of being a bastard, getting me wanted by the police!"

Green made a confused face. "The hell are you talking about Leaf?"

Leaf gestured wildly at the television, which was now showing a happily grinning Mudkip stealing food from Nimbassa city shops. This didn't help Green in the least, and his confusion only grew as Leaf began ranting about retarded news reporters and how she was apparently only marginally more important than a mildly annoying Mudkip.

Green stopped her by gripping her shoulders, and speaking very deliberately to her. "Leaf, I'm going to ask again. What the hell are you talking about?"

Leaf took a deep breath and began to explain the news report that had named her a suspect in his disappearance and how she had had to assault Nurse Joy before she could contact police. Green's face went from an expression of befuddlement at the beginning of her explanation, to one of mild amusement by the end. "And now," Leaf was still saying. "you barge in here as though it's the most obvious place in the world to come when you're a missing person, and make me explain all this crap. Just why are you here by the way? And you had _better_ not say that you were planning on following me up the mountain when I _expressly _told you not to."

When Green failed to reply, Leaf's face went bright red with anger and she exploded. Green tried to tune the barrage out, but phrases such as "bastard!" and "same as you always were." and "Should have known better!" kept forcing themselves past his eardrums.

When at last Leaf ran out of insults to hurl at him, he tried to explain himself, knowing full well that he didn't _have_ an explanation. His feeling of amusement was long gone, replaced with one of apprehension. "Look Leaf, I'm sorry I did… well, exactly what you told me not to, but believe me, I'll go back to Viridian now and make sure your name is cleared. You don't have to worry about me barging in on you and Red anymore."

As she watched Green depart the Pokemon Centre, head downcast and seeming somewhat smaller than usual, Leaf couldn't help but feel a pang of regret. "Green…" she started uncertainly.

Green turned back to her quick smart, and watched her almost pathetically eagerly as she chewed her lip, trying to decide what she should say. In the end, the moment passed and she merely muttered, "Nothing…"

Green's shoulders slumped once again and he turned and walked out of the centre, jumped on Pidgeot and flew back the way he had come towards Viridian.

Leaf spared a final glance for the poor Nurse Hoy, who appeared totally baffled by the whole situation, and thanked her healing her Pokemon. The poor woman merely nodded faintly and Leaf took that as her leave to go. She followed her former rival outside and turned towards the black hole which marked the entrance to the Mt Silver catacombs.

"Ready or not Red, here I come."

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_Okay so that was a bit of a nothing chapter, more of a fun distraction really. I probably could have made the whole kidnapping scenario a far larger plot point, but this story has already ballooned to several times what I originally planned, so I decided to resolve that particular issue quickly. _

_Thank you, __**A Random Reader**__, for yet another review. As for your question, I can almost guarantee that I'll write more BurningLeaf in the future. I currently have a couple of stories focused on its manga equivalent, LuckyShipping, so hopefully that satisfies you for now._


	5. Chapter 5: A New (Old) Face

_Chapter five, and Red makes his first appearance! I've got some interesting things in store for this chapter, at least in my opinion, and I'm happy with the way it turned out. The review rate has dropped off unfortunately, with one notable exception, so if you wouldn't mind taking 30 seconds, please give me some feedback. Okay, enough whining, on with the story!_

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When Red trained, the whole mountain knew it. Charizard's breath would melt the ice, sending rivers of fresh water cascading down the steep slopes, feeding the myriad of feeder streams which originated up in these frozen heights. Massive boulders followed the water as the huge members of Red's ultimate team battled ferociously on the summit, tearing chunks from the battlefield with the ease of someone digging a hole in the back garden. Espeon and Pikachu had less destructive, but no less impressive effects. Pikachu's thunderbolt lit up the peak in a dazzling light display which awed Pokemon for miles around with its brutal majesty, while Espeon sent snow, ice, boulders and vegetation alike flying in an elegant display of his psychic prowess.

Red himself simply watched his companions transform their surrounding as they willed. To a stranger, it appeared as if he simply stood back and let them run wild, which to an extent he did, but to anyone with the faintest inkling of Red's battle style, it was clear that he was in total control at all times. A flick of the head, a casual hand gesture or a scuff of his sneaker, actions which would appear to the casual observer to be nothing more than natural fidgeting, in truth relayed a wealth of information to the training Pokemon.

Today was different; Red was preparing for a challenger. One of his flying Pokemon had informed him of a climber making their way towards his sanctuary. There was only one reason anyone ever made that trek; they had completed the Kanto/ Johto gym challenge, leaving nothing more for them to do in the regions apart from climb his icy throne and try to take it from him. None had prevailed so far, and if Red had anything to do with it, none ever would.

That was why today was different. Charizard's breath burnt like the centre of the earth, so hot it cracked the stone it fell upon. Boulders didn't have a chance to get flung down the mountainside; they were crushed into a powder by the ruthless attacks long beforehand. Pikachu and Espeon battled each other in a display of such ferocious power that Red knew, instinctively, that there wasn't another example of either of their species who could command such fury. Such was the level of their training, Red even became somewhat animated, gesturing powerfully with arms and head, directing the attacks one hundred per cent personally and leaving no margin for error.

When Charizard unleashed a flamethrower of such brutality that it literally made a boulder explode under the pressure, Red decided that his title would most likely be safe for yet another battle. He called a halt to the training without using a single word, and brought his Pokemon in close for a round of congratulations. It wasn't until he stopped that he finally heard the clapping.

Red whirled around in disbelief; it had only been a few hours since he had first had word of the challenger's approach, surely it was too soon for them to have reached him already. Nevertheless, upon turning he was met face to face with a person, a person who could not be anyone but the one his Pokemon had told him of. Whoever it was was bundled up tightly against the cold, with a Blue anorak and a green scarf obscuring their face. The person was clearly female however, a fact that was reinforced as they gave Red a feminine wave and sauntered towards him with a distinctly elegant step.

When she was mere feet from him, she pulled the muffler away from her face in one smooth action, revealing her features to Red.

She was unfamiliar. Her blue hair was tied back into twin ponytails which stuck out and up. This strange hairstyle was accentuated by a pretty enough face with a delicate nose and bright, clear eyes. Her face was mischievous, it seemed to Red, and he could tell quickly enough that she was bright, and most definitely tricky. "Hi!" She said, her voice coming out high and ringing; the voice of someone who was used to getting their way, polite and cheerful but with an undertone of arrogance that Red sensed could all too easily become anger. The girl waited for a response, but when none was forthcoming, she continued with her own introduction. "My name is Kris. No need to tell me your name, I already know it of course. I've beaten sixteen gyms and the entire elite four, and now I'm here to ask you for a battle. What do you say." She added with a winning smile.

Red didn't reply of course. Instead he recalled each one of his Pokemon in turn and began walking away from the girl. Predictably, she gave a shout of dismay and started to run after him, spouting the usual crap his challengers did whenever he pulled this stunt. In reality, he was simply walking towards the battlefield he had constructed some distance away, as Pokemon battles could hardly be performed adequately on the very peak of the mountain. He supposed he could have beckoned her or something in order to lessen her confusion, but Red always enjoyed having the psychological advantage in battle, and walking away from a cocky challenger, leaving them confused and disorientated, certainly gave him that.

The girl, Kris, followed him, just as he knew she would, and when they emerged onto the battlefield, she gave a gasp of understanding. The field was immense, and like everything else up here, frozen. Due to the lack of available space and the need for a decently sized area, Red had carved out a section of the mountain with his Pokemon, meaning that half the field was shadowed by a monolithic overhang, made up of the mountain itself. The effect was awe-inspiring, and as many a challenger before had done, Kris simply stared open mouthed at the scene for several seconds. Eventually she regained enough composure to smile, and faced the champion with a determined smirk. "Ready when you are, honey."

The use of the affectionate pronoun threw Red very slightly for a moment, but he quickly refocused his attentions on the battle at hand. Long years atop the mountain had affected Red very little, and he found the lifestyle actually suited him to a large degree. However, the one thing he found himself aching for occasionally was companionship, notably, female companionship. None of the women and girls who had climbed the mountain had tickled his fancy, despite many of them being more than willing to throw themselves at him after he had dispatched of their teams. Throughout all the advances he had never entertained suggestions of succumbing to desire, as his mind had always been at least partially focused on another.

He didn't know where Leaf was, and indeed he knew it was commonly believed in Kanto that she was dead. He could feel in himself that this wasn't true however, and for his part believed that she was simply carrying out her own new adventures in other regions. Unfortunately, this wasn't likely to be confirmed or denied any time soon, as communications between the various regions was notoriously poor. Most had become aware of each other only recently, and with the exception of Kanto and Johto, inter-regional relations had remained largely non-existent. Even if Leaf was alive and well in another region, perhaps even gaining a high profile there the people of Kanto, and by extension Red, would remain blissfully ignorant.

When she left, there had been a myriad of unspoken (or on his part unacted upon) feelings lying between them, and Red could not help but feel like he was losing a great opportunity when she disappeared from his life. She had been such a permanent fixture for him that at first he found the change almost impossible to bear, but eventually he settled into his new life and instead of pining for Leaf, found himself simply waiting patiently for her return. He didn't _need _her to return, at least not physically, but there was nothing in this world that he _wanted _as badly. And that was why no other girl had ever compelled him to stray, and was why despite the achings of loneliness, he wasn't about to break tradition with this one.

Kris had meanwhile made her way to the challenger's side of the battlefield, and was waiting for Red to do the same. He did so, and silently they started each other down, waiting to see who would make the first move. Eventually it was she who did; releasing with a flourish a Meganium which stomped it's feet agitatedly on the frigid ground and readied itself into a battle stance. Red considered his opponent briefly before releasing his Charizard. It wasn't his style to give challengers the upper hand; the way he figured it, if they had made it this far then they should know full well how to handle type disadvantages, so he used these natural advantages to his own advancement whenever possible.

The Meganium, despite its obvious good training and power, quailed slightly upon the release of Charizard, who stared it down with eyes that said plainly he would give no quarter to the grass type. And so the battle began.

Kris started off with vine whip, attempting to disable Charizard in order to get a decent hit in. When these vines were torched a moment later and her Meganium was sent flying into a wall of ice, she was struck for the first time just how difficult this battle was going to be. It took just another couple of moves for the Johto starter to lie defeated at its trainer's feet, and Kris chewed her lip fretfully as she wondered which Pokemon to follow up with.

Predictably, she chose a water pokemon, releasing the Kanto starter Blastoise. Red raised his eyebrow slightly, not having expected to face a challenger with Pokemon from different regions. The Blastoise was powerful, but not as powerful as Charizard by a long shot. Nevertheless, thanks to its type advantage, the giant turtle was able to get several strong hits on the dragon before fainting, reducing its opponents stamina by a large degree. Red gritted his teeth and battled on.

The rest of the battle continued largely in this manner. Kris was clearly outmatched, but thanks to a few wise choices, she was able to put up a decent fight, and even caused Charizard to faint for the first time that Red could remember. By the time the battle was half over, Red was seriously impressed with the girl's skill, and made a note to consider her for a rematch.

In the end, despite her fighting spirit, the pure class of Red's battle style and the intensiveness of his training meant Kris's defeat was inevitable. It came about as Espeon dodged a lunging attack from her Dragonite, and sent the huge dragon type flying with a powerful psychic attack. Not only did the attack physically damage the Dragonite, it was severely affected mentally by the depilating psychic waves, and fainted soon after from confusion.

Kris fell to her knees as her Pokemon did; unable to comprehend the defeat she had just been handed. Never had she been so outclassed skill wise, and the last time she had actually _lost…?_ Well, she couldn't actually remember. Nevertheless, the result was indisputable, and as Kris raised her head her eyes met the red ones of her vanquisher. He was holding out his hand, both to help her to her feet and to shake, and the tinniest hint of a smile graced his lips. Kris hitched a smile onto her own face and took the proffered limb, getting to her feet shakily. Unexpectedly, Red dropped her hand immediately after and began walking back the way that they had come, towards the summit. Kris hurriedly followed after.

"Hey!" she called. No response. "Hey!" Again, a little louder this time. Red kept walking, oblivious, seemingly oblivious. Kris stopped when they reached the path, and shouted this time. "Oi! The least you could do after wiping me out is _talk_ to me you know!"

Red did turn around at that, but he remained as silent as ever. His eyes appeared slightly sad, and for the first time Kris wondered if he could talk at all. "Come here." She said, softer this time, yet somehow more compellingly. Red obliged, stopping a few feet from her. He was only slightly taller than the younger girl, but it was clear that underneath the unassuming frame lay a strength like few others; how else could he survive up here?

Kris decided her next course of action all at once. Stepping forward quickly, she took his face in her hands and mashed her lips against his in a somewhat inelegant kiss. Red stiffened like a board under her grip, and after a few seconds of surprised inaction, tore away from her, breathing heavily. Red's composure was quite ruined after that, and he stared bug eyed at Kris, who had flushed furiously at his rejection and was now staring at the ground. The incredibly awkward silence was broken suddenly, not by either of the battlers, but by a completely new voice entirely.

"What. The. _Hell?"_

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_I think you can all guess who's the voice is at the end, but I though I'd leave it as a pseudo-cliffhanger anyway :P Hopefully I surprised a few of you with Kris's appearance though. Initially she was just going to be Leaf, but when i got to describing her clothes I took this route on a a whim instead. I think it turned out quite well (DRAMA! :0) but make up your own minds. Anyway PLEASE review! You don't know how much it means to see what people think of your writing (unless you write as well, of course...) and it only takes 30 seconds or so to do. Chapter 6 up tomorrow most likely. _


	6. Chapter 6: Red's Revelation

_Chapter 6 has arrived, with a healthy dose of drama! Still not as many reviews as I might have liked for the last chapter, but at least I got a couple of new guys giving me their thoughts. I just realised I haven't been putting a disclaimer at the start of all my chapters so I suppose I better go back and edit that… _

_The story is probably about three quarters complete at this point, meaning that it should all have been uploaded within a week._

_If I owned Pokemon then there's no way that little retard Ash would still be 10 years old… hence, I don't own Pokemon. Enjoy!_

If possible, Red's eyes widened even further at the new voice, and he shot towards where he thought the sound had originated. A girl stepped out from behind a boulder, eyes flashing dangerously as she did so. She was the same age as Red, give or take a few months, and it was clear from the look she was giving him that they had met before. She didn't appear to fear or respect him as all the others who climbed this mountain did, but she was looking at him with a mixture of longing, betrayal and hurt.

Leaf had arrived.

Red's first action was to stumble forwards, a mere shell of the utterly cold, removed persona that he usually displayed. His mouth opened and closed fruitlessly, ever increasing his resemblance to a fish when coupled with his bug eyes. After a few steps he stopped, unsure of what to do.

Kris looked in confusion between Red and the new arrival, utterly disorientated as well as feeling hurt and rejected. "Who are you?" She asked the girl, unintentionally brusquely. Leaf flashed her a dangerous glare.

"I could ask the same of you." She said venomously. Whoever she was, she clearly hadn't taken kindly to Kris's advances on Red. Kris bristled slightly, not quite accepting that she should be reprimanded so after being rejected.

"Well I'm Kris, Johto champion. But I asked you first."

Leaf didn't seem to hear her. "Johto champion? I don't care if you're Acreus himself, what right do you think you have to come up here and kiss my boyfriend?"

An exceedingly awkward silence fell over the scene, and Leaf turned scarlet when she realised just what she had said. "Boyfriend?" Kris repeated, the very epitome of confusion. "Red has a girlfriend?"

Now it was Red's turn to look between the two girls as their conversation unfolded. Leaf's statement had thrown him just as much as it had Kris, perhaps more so, and he sorely wanted her to clarify the thought.

Leaf didn't seem to be able to speak much at the moment. She stubbornly refused to look at Red, at when her old friend took a hesitant step towards her, she did something entirely unexpected.

Leaf swung towards Red, a vicious look in her eyes and the blush quite gone from her face. "Stay right there Casanova. I never would have though I needed to worry about you hooking up with some girl up here Red, but I guess I underestimated you." She choked out, followed by a bitter laugh. All of a sudden, she turned heel and ran back down the path, clearly unable to stand the excruciating atmosphere any longer. Red stood frozen for a second, before he unclipped one of his Pokeballs and released a partially recovered Charizard. He leapt onto the creatures back and prepared to take off after Leaf when a shrill voice cut through his concentration.

"Wait! Where are you going? What about me?" Kris cried to an unsympathetic Red, who simply shrugged as if to say, _You got up here by yourself, get back down the same way._ Before he gave Charizard a wordless order and took off, leaving a cursing Kris behind.

Leaf stumbled down the mountain path, hot tears of anger falling free and fast from her eyes. She walked quickly and recklessly, taking far less care than she knew she should down the treacherous path. Fate, tempted far enough, decided she needed a little lesson in care, and the next thing she knew, Leaf was tumbling through space as she misjudged a ledge and tripped, falling straight out over the cliff. Before she even had time to scream in dismay, her heart stopping fall was broken as an enormous talon fastened around her waist. Her mind a complete mess, she was towed back to solid ground and dropped on her arms and knees by the orange monstrosity which had caught her.

Red slipped off Charizard's back and picked Leaf up under the arms, turning the girl around so she could face him. Upon seeing him, Leaf's expression went from one of bemusement to that of anger. She pushed herself roughly away from Red, crossing her arms resolutely and refusing to look at him.

Tentatively, Red reached out and touched her hand, but Leaf quickly snatched it away. She did however look back at him, glaring. "Thanks for saving me and everything, but why were you following me." She didn't sound thankful, indeed she sounded more annoyed.

Red scuffed the ground with his shoe and looked at his feet. Leaf sighed and rolled her eyes, although her annoyance lessened slightly. "How could you do it, Red?" she asked.

He looked up at her again with wide, pleading eyes. Leaf had always been able to read a lot from Red's face, and now was no exception. His eyes now were clearly pleading innocence, and Leaf found herself desperately wishing she could believe them. "Red…" She began. "When I left five years ago, I thought I knew that we would always end up together. It sustained me throughout all my journeys, and no matter how far away from home I got, I always thought that when I came home you'd be waiting for me. Maybe that was selfish, but I can't change it now. If you really want a relationship with that girl then I accept it, but I hope we can still be friends." Her voice broke, and tears once again ran down her face.

For a moment Red seemed to struggle with himself; then, his face hardened into a resolute expression, and he took Leaf by the shoulders and drew her close. For a moment, Leaf thought he was going to kiss her, but then he did something far more amazing.

"Leaf." He said. His voice was hoarse, scratchy and almost unintelligible, but to Leaf that single word meant more than anything she had ever heard before. For a long time she simply stared at him, mouth hanging open comically.

"Wha-what?" she finally managed to squeak, hoping against hope that his voice hadn't been a figment of her imagination.

Red spoke again. "Leaf… I… Lo-ove… you." The words were tortured, and it seemed it took every ounce of strength he had to utter them, but their meaning was clear. Leaf didn't need to hear anymore, and with a noise halfway between a squeal and a whoop, she threw her arms around the startled boy and held him closer than she ever had before. Then, without breaking the embrace, she did something she'd dreamt of doing since leaving his side five years ago.

The kiss was long and sweet. Five years of fantasising had given them both a decent idea of what they would do, and although the situation was far removed from what either had expected, the feelings that had remained dormant for so long remained just as powerful. Red received it initially, but soon enough he was responding, desperately trying to make Leaf understand that this was all he'd ever wanted. She seemed to get the message, and before they knew it they were lying in the snow, uncaring as the soft powder puffed into their hair and melted, sending little rivulets cascading down their backs. Little sparks went off in Red's brain, making him light headed; although he supposed that could also be because he hadn't taken a breath in so long. They broke apart eventually, by which time both of them felt slightly numb with disbelief at what had just transpired. A snort from behind him made Red look back, only to see the amused face of his Charizard. The Pokemon, so ferocious in battle, had cocked its head idly at its master, as though sharing a silent joke, far removed from the monstrosity that could make boulders explode with a single breath. Red just grinned at his partner and turned back to girl lying next to him.

Leaf stared at the boy with a mixture of adoration and trepidation. She wasn't entirely sure where this left them, and judging by the quizzical look on Red's face, neither did he. What she did know however, was that the very thing she had come up the mountain to do, and had almost abandoned in her hurt and confusion, had occurred despite herself; and that made her happier than any league championship could.

As tempting as it was just to lie in the snow drift together indefinitely, the cold was starting to penetrate their clothes, especially Red, who never wore more than his jeans, T-shirt and short sleeved jacket. They stood up together, and Red helped Leaf onto Charizard's back, even though he knew she could climb up just fine on her own. Once she was safely ensconced between his wings, he followed her upwards and took the distinctly less safe position of just behind his wing joints. The great dragon lifted them into the air with nary a complaint, and swiftly carried them back to the summit, where Red's cave/home was situated. Leaf leant back into the warmth of Red's stomach, the hurt of mere minutes ago quite forgotten, along with a certain Johto champion with upturned hair.

Green left Viridian City significantly worse for wear. Due to his status as a VIP, the police had been unwilling to believe at first that he had simply left his gym of his own accord. They spent several hours questioning him to ascertain whether or not he was an imposter sent to put off the trail and several more hours after they were sure he was who he said he was questioning him about Leaf. The news that Leaf was alive and well came as a significant shock to the local authorities, who actually had to go about changing their record to indicate that she was not deceased. Green thought it a trifle slack that they would nominate her as dead without even extending their enquiries into neighbouring regions, where Leaf was something of a minor celebrity. Voicing this opinion didn't win him ay fans at the police station however, and he was detained for a further time as a particularly prickly detective attempted to charge him with being in contempt of the law. Thankfully this proved futile, and Green was finally allowed to leave.

As he faced the bright Viridian sunlight, Green pondered his next move. It had all seemed so simple when he had left for the first time; he would follow Leaf up the mountain, wait until she had had her little reunion with Red, and then make his appearance and beg for both their forgiveness. Now, he faced uncertainty at every turn. Since he had already been caught out once by Leaf, he was naturally apprehensive about risking her undoubtedly furious reaction should he disobey her for a second time, and head on up the mountain despite her. Unfortunately, the alternative was no more attractive. He could simply head back to Viridian and wait until he thought it was safe, thereby risking Red and Leaf becoming even more removed from him, possibly even starting their own life together, or he could just wait in his gym for them to make the first move… an even riskier plan than the first.

He quickly dismissed the third plan; Green Oak had never been one to let fate decide his future. He liked to affect his own circumstance and the idea of waiting meekly for contact that may never come irked him greatly. It was probably the course of action Leaf would have wanted him to take, but eventually he decided the risks outweighed the benefits, and he moved to considering the pros and cons of the first plan.

Heading straight up the mountain was definitely risky. Leaf had been anything but accommodating when he had met her in the Mt Silver Pokemon centre, and he got the feeling that if he deigned to follow her again, she may have an even less positive reaction. Still, if he waited until she had had her reunion with Red, he risked letting them grow further apart from himself, and if he waited too long, they might forget about him entirely.

Green kneaded his forehead with his knuckles, trying to sort out the confusing mess. In desperation he called out his Blastoise and explained the situation to the turtle, feeling slightly foolish as he did so. Blastoise eyed him dolefully as he young man poured out his worries, and when he was finished, Green could have sworn the Pokemon looked almost ponderous. After a while, Blastoise began to speak in its own Pokemon speech, which of course Green could understand no more than he could Spanish. However when a Pokemon and a human had been together as long as the two had, a certain understanding grew between them, and although the literal meaning was lost in translation, Green was still able to get an inkling of what his partner was trying to tell him.

When Blastoise was finished, Green thought for a moment longer, but since his Pokemon seemed to be supporting his initial gut reaction as to what he should do, he didn't need to ponder for all that long. "Okay buddy." he told Blastoise resignedly, "You know best."

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_That's all for now. I'm averaging two reviews per chapter more or less at the moment so it would be AWESOME to get that umber up a bit. If you're new to the story please don't be afraid to review older chapters… So, read and review, what are you waiting for? _


	7. Chapter 7: A Second Glance

_Okay… I think there are probably some explanations/apologies in order. Firstly, the reason this chapter is so late is because my pathetic internet plan ran out of data, meaning I have been without a connection until a couple of days ago. Secondly, I know I said that story would be over within the week, but that clearly was a lie :/ I don't now know when the story will be finished because along with my internet connection went my inclination to write, so I've been undeniably slack lately. Rest assured the story WILL be finished, I just can't make any guarantees as to when because I'm now on holidays from uni and my social life has become pretty hectic. I'll do my best to have it wrapped up ASAP and once again I apologise for going on such a long hiatus without any warning._

_Anyway, enough about me. Here is chapter 7, which borrows a little bit of inspiration from the manga in terms of what is to be found at Mt Silver. _

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Red and Leaf landed on the summit in a puff of snow and ice. The peak was deserted, indicating that Kris had already vacated the area. Red sighed with relief, realising that he had one less thing to worry about. In a way he felt sorry for the girl; after all, she hadn't had any way of knowing of the bond that Red and Leaf shared, and her actions were basically innocent. Still, she had almost cost the two something they had both wanted for far too long, and Red wasn't feeling particularly forgiving about that just yet.

He helped Leaf down from Charizard's back and recalled the enormous lizard, whose smug looks were starting to get on Red's nerves. He gestured for Leaf to follow him, and led her towards the hold in the stone which led to his makeshift home. As they followed the tunnel, the temperature rose progressively, until it felt almost comfortable. Leaf wondered where the heat was coming from, but Red answered her question before she could voice it. "Hot springs." He said the words in the same torturous, gravelly voice as before, but managed not to stammer this time, lending hope to Leaf that his voice may slowly improve.

After a long walk which took them deep with the mountain, red stopped in front of a boulder that stood by the wall of the tunnel. He called out Charizard, who casually pushed the boulder away, to reveal a cavern. Clearly this was where Red lived, as the chamber was sparsely furnished with several homemade pieces of furniture, including a bed, table and chairs, and for some reason a bookcase, which was populated by many volumes of various manga series. Leaf gave all this a cursory glance, before returning her attentions to the slightly-less-silent-than-before boy behind her.

"Goddammit Red, do you do _nothing _else but train while you're up here?" She asked in exasperation. Red just grinned at her, before ushering her towards the other side of the chamber. Upon arriving, Leaf realised that there was a secondary tunnel behind what she had assumed to be nothing more than a poster displaying a roaring Charizard.

"Taking a leaf out of team rocket's book eh Red?" She sniggered. "Just don't forget how that worked out for them." Together, they walked along the tunnel which, after a significantly shorter walk that the last one, opened up into another chamber. Leaf gaped at the scene which confronted her.

A vast, underground hot spring reservoir stretched for hundreds of feet, trailing away towards what sounded like a waterfall. Stalagmites and stalactites erupted from the floor and ceiling, and every now and then a geyser would burst upwards, sending condensation skyward. This had the effect of creating something of a sauna, and droplets of condensation which coated the rock above their heads fell constantly to earth. The water was that light, incredibly rick blue which you only saw in hot springs, and the cavern was illuminated by a strange phosphorescence which coated the walls, sending silver sparkles dancing through the steam. The sight was undeniably breathtaking, and Leaf turned to Red, anticipation shining on her face.

"And here's me feeling all sorry for you having to live up on the cold, old mountain!" she exclaimed, with a pout that made Red's heart melt. Before he could do or say anything else, she had jumped straight into the nearest pool, sending a wave of water washing over the bemused champion. She laughed as she surfaced and splashed him a bit more. "Come on in, the water's fine!" she called. Red shrugged and leapt in, shoes and all, before leaping on Leaf's back and dunking her under.

They mucked around in this fashion for a while until Red stopped and frowned, making Leaf stop also. "What is it?" she asked, vaguely concerned.

Red glanced at her. "No towels."

Leaf paled. It may have been warmer than outside up in Red's living area, but it was still far too cold to to go traipsing around in wet clothes, to do so would be just asking for a bout of the 'flu. She shivered, suddenly cold despite the warm water. "What do we do?" she asked

Red shrugged. "Deal with it."

That was not the answer Leaf was looking for. She was about to start ranting, but Red, sensing the incoming barrage, cut her off with a hasty kiss. It was messy at first, designed more as a gag than a sensual act, and Leaf almost threw him off to continue her spiel. Something stopped her however, and she found herself responding to Red's uncharacteristically forward approach. After all, she told herself, kissing him was proving far more enjoyable than yelling at him.

When they broke apart, Leaf's face was adorned with her trademark devilish smirk, the same one she had flashed at Green back in his gym, what seemed like years ago. Red expression turned quizzical, wondering just what the grin was in aid of, but his eyes widened in shock as Leaf pushed him backwards into the water. The grin never leaving her face, leaf fell down after him.

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_Well that's that. Hope you had fun this admittedly short chapter. I'm heading down south tomorrow for a few days so don't hang out for another chapter before Saturday. Again, sorry about the delays, both now and in the future. _


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